[Urban ecological risk assessment: a review]

Area of Science:

• Urban Ecology
• Environmental Science
• Risk Assessment

Background:

• Urbanization leads to environmental degradation and rising ecological risks.
• Urban ecological risk assessment is crucial for understanding and mitigating these impacts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the components of urban ecological risk assessment.
• To identify key elements including drivers, receptors, and assessment endpoints.
• To explore integrated approaches and future research directions.

Main Methods:

• Review of urban ecology principles and ecological risk assessment frameworks.
• Analysis of driven forces, risk resources, risk receptors, and assessment endpoints.
• Evaluation of integrated approaches for risk assessment.

Main Results:

• Urban economic and social activities are key drivers of ecological risks.
• Urban ecosystems and their components are the primary risk receptors.
• Assessment endpoints include changes in ecological structure, processes, and integrity.

Conclusions:

• Social-ecological models are recommended for urban ecological risk assessment.
• Future research should focus on defining protection targets, criteria, and integrative assessment systems.